Exotic Feline Breeding Compound Exotic Feline Breeding Compound (EFBC)

This facility in Rosamond, California, also goes by the name Feline Conservation Center. Although the facilities are very minimal, it is one of the leading breeding centers (perhaps the leading center) for wild cats in the U.S. A very good variety of big and small cats (but surpisingly no lions or tigers - except one tiger kept off exhibit). Although they are not AZA-accredited, they do work directly with SSP's and the AZA Felid TAG. Largest population of both amur leopards and north china leopards in the country. Also the only jaguarundis still on public display (but again, in a very basic cage).

Their main role is to supply cats to mainstream zoos and help maintain a healthy bloodline. They have even imported cats from overseas, including new founder fishing cats from Asia and amur leopards from both France and Russia. If you visit expecting to see large natural habitats, you will be disappointed. But if you just want to spend a couple hours with lots of cats, you may find it worthwhile. I am acquanted with the founder and have been a member for many years.

 

According to their website (:: The Cat House ::), the facility has:

7 Amur Leopards (P.pardus orientalis)
8 Northern Chinese Leopards (P.pardus japonensis)
3 Black Leopards (P.pardus)
1 Persian Leopards (P.pardus saxicolor)
1 Tiger (P.tigris)
7 Jaguars (P.onca)
10 Fishing Cats (Prionailurus viverrinus)
12 Pallas' Cats (Otocolobus manul)
1 Geoffroy's Cat (Oncifelis geoffroyi)
2 Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis)
3 Margay (Leopardus wiedii)
2 Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouarundi)
2 Mountain Lions (Puma concolor)
1 Jungle Cat (Felis chaus)
1 Serval (Leptailurus serval)
1 Caracal (Caracal caracal)
2 Bobcats (Lynx rufus)
1 Canadian Lynx (Lynx canadensis)
2 Eurasian Lynxs (Lynx lynx)
1 Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)

The website does not show the sexes of the animals.

 

I believe they only have one black leopard. Please note some animals are in an off-exhibit area (including ALL of the pallas cats). Best time to go is one of the evening "twilight tours" held three times a year (for adults only). These include access to off-exhibit areas. Please note there is no cafe, so plan on eating lunch or dinner in Lancaster/Palmdale.

 

Thats an extremely impressive collection. I also had no idea any one facility in the US had so many Amur Leopards and North Chinese Leopards. Thats very comforting, considering breedings between these species in the US recently haven't been very successful.

 

Unfortunately, the North China Leopard breeding program is about at a dead end. Because the AZA determined U.S. zoos should focus on Amur Leopard exclusively, no one is willing to help EFBC with the North China breeding program. EFBC does not have the space or resources to maintain an entire national breeding program on their own, which would require importing new founders, so they are somewhat frustrated. (This is a paraphrase of a statement from the director in one of their previous newsletters).

 

It's sad in general that US zoos are about at capacity with big cats. I think the next big exhibit trend, after Polar Bears and Elephants, should focus on big cats.

Here in Columbus we have an average felid collection (Cougar, Bobcat, Pallas Cat, Amur Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Fishing Cat) and several species off exhibit (Serval, Cheetah, Clouded Leopard, Snow Leopard). Hopefully once we get Lions over to Savannah we can renovate the current lion exhibit - I'm hoping for any Asian carnivore particularly Amur Leopards (North Chinese would be cool) or Dholes. Plus we can exhibit Lions and Cheetahs in larger, more naturalistic enclosures than what they are in now.

 

The Exotic Feline Breeding Compound (aka Feline Conservation Center) has announced the date of their annual fundraiser: August 15, 2009. The special guest speaker will be JIM SANDERSON, who is undoubtedly the world's leading expert on small cats. He has done groundbreaking field studies on kodkod, andean mountain cat, etc and heads the Small Cat Conservation Alliance. For more info on the fundraiser, visit :: The Cat House ::

 

I love Cat House! I'm going to the next Twilight Tour next weekend... can't wait. It will be my second TT.

 

Ahh thats devastating about the NC Leopard. They have 3 execellent young animals which will soon be at perfect breeding ages =/ what a waste eh...
Does the EFBC have plans to breed any of its Amur Leopards this year? They havn't had any amur births for a few years now..?

 

Why so many kitties (and major kitties too--cheetahs and snow leopards?!) off-exhibit?

 

We use them for promotions and education. I would love to exhibit Clouded Leopards in Roadhouse (we actually used to) and add Snow Leopards to Asia Quest (which we may do after the lions move out). Also Servals and Cheetahs are in the exhibit plans for African Savannah.

Also note, most major zoos house a large variety of cats off exhibit for educational purposes.

 

other than Columbus and San Diego, I can't think of any...

 

Miami, Houston, Cincinnati, Busch Gardens, Naples....

Nashville, Cincinnati, National, San Diego, San Francisco, the Wilds, all also house felids off display for breeding purposes.

 

I only know of Cincinnati but they also (for the most part) house portions of those cats on exhibit too. There aren't many species their hiding behind closed doors for education, least not in the cat land.


I never knew the Wilds had a breeding center though.

 

We have a Mid-Size Carnivore Center which is used for Cheetahs, Dholes, and Hunting Dogs. We, however, have not breed any of these species yet.

 

Wow, I had no idea...

 

EFBC plans to import an Iranian Leopard from France:

Taken from the US Federal Register.

 

It is good development for intercontinental coop that a Persian leopard has gone to the only US institution exhibiting this taxon for breeding purposes.

I suspect that the entry in the ISIS listings for a Panthera pardus nimr is in fact a Panthera pardus saxicolor. Which zoo did the male at EFBC came from? In the US just Chicago Lincoln Park (elderly if I am not mistaken) and Cleveland zoos listed a Panthera pardus saxicolor in the collection.


Perhaps, the EAZA/EEP can help out EFBC (and the Rare Feline Breeding Compound, Fla.) with the North China leopards too. We have a minor cooperative breeding programme within the EEP for 19.22 individuals at present?!!!

 

This is probably going to sound uneducated, but if they can import specimins, and breeding of North Chinese leopards has all but stopped in the US, couldn't they export to Europe (like a trade)? Although I have no idea what the situation is in Europe with NCLs though.

 

Yes, I found it very surprising they would try to bring in a persian female, especially since the male is so old. I am fairly certain he came from San Diego Zoo a couple years ago.